632 EXPEKIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Alfalfa cut for the first time last season and grown on land not requiring 

 an excessive amoiuit of water yielded 7.36 tons per acre in three cuttings, 

 with a depth of 3 ft. of water for irrigation. An old alfalfa field on gravelly 

 land yielded but 2 tons of hay per acre, with a depth of 8.5 ft. of water applied 

 in irrigation. 



American dry farming', W. Straweridge {Agr. Jour. Cape Good Hope, 32 

 (1908), No. 6, pp. ISl-J.'/O). — The American system of dry farming is briefly 

 summarized as follows: "(1) Fine deep sandy loam is best for dry farming. 

 (2) Disk or lightly plow directly the crop is off. (3) Plow deep, 7 to 9 in., 

 during the summer or autumn. (4) Harrow same day, immediately after plow- 

 ing or disking, after each fall of rain, and as late in the season as possible 

 after the crop is up several inches. (5) Pack the soil, if loose, to make it firm 

 and retentive. (6) Do not allow any weeds to grow. (7) Keep the top 3 in. 

 of soil loose and dry, but not too fine, so as to be dust. (8) If soil is likely to 

 drift, harrow when damp; should that not be successful, do not fallow. (9) 

 Only sow the best dry-grown seed. (10) Sow thinly to get good results; thick 

 sowing in dry country has proved unsuccessful. (11) Sow the seed of wheat 

 2 to 3 in. deep on top of damp, moist subsoil. (12) Do not attempt dry farm- 

 ing with a gravel or rubble below a shallow soil. (13) Practice rotation of 

 crops to maintain the fertility of the soil, and in cases where land can not be 

 fallowefl." 



[Agriculture in tlie Congo Free State], Pynaert (Bui. Off. Etat Independ. 

 Congo, 2^ (1908), Ao. 1-2, Sup., pp. l-'/O. pi. 1). — This is a report covering the 

 third quarter of 1907 on the work conducted at the agricultural experiment 

 station of Eala. Notes are given on a botanical garden, an experimental 

 garden, and a model farm. The different species and varieties of plants added 

 to the botanical garden are listed and the yields from rublier, spice, perfume, 

 dye, drug, textile, oil, forage, and fruit crops are noted. 



[Experiments with fi.eld crops), B. W. Ivilgore et ai.. (Bui. A. C. Dept. Agr., 

 29 (1908), No. 2, pp. 75). — Variety, distance, fertilizer, and cultivation experi- 

 ments are reported with cotton and corn, and directions are given for the 

 preparation of composts and the use of fertilizers for tobacco. The experi- 

 ments with cotton and corn were carried on at the Edgecombe, Red Springs, 

 Iredell, and Transylvania test farms. 



The varieties of corn averaging highest yields of shelled corn at Edgecombe 

 during 8 years were Cocke Prolific, Weekley Improved, Sanders Improved, and 

 Holt Strawberry ; at Red Springs during 2 years Native, Cocke Prolific. Holt 

 Strawberry, and Weekley Improved; and at Iredell, Weekley Improved, Sanders 

 Improved, Cocke Prolific, and Boone County White. The earliest varieties 

 tested on these farms are Iowa Silver Mine, Riley Favorite, Learning Yellow, 

 Reid Yellow Dent, Boone County Special, and Boone County White; the 

 medium-maturing varieties. Biggs Prolific, Craig Prolific White, Cocke Prolific, 

 and Craig Prolific Strawberry; and the late-maturing varieties. Holt Straw- 

 berry, Marlboro Prolific, Sanders Improved, Weekley Improved, and Mosby 

 Prolific. Notes on the varieties tested in 1907 are given, and the sorts adapted 

 to the eastern. Piedmont, and mountain sections are enumerated. The average 

 of 6 years' results on the Edgecombe farm indicate that planting 4 by 3 ft. 

 is best suited to the soil, and at Iredell and Red Springs, as an average of 3 and 

 5 years' results, respectively, 5 by 2 ft. 



As an average of 8 years' tests with cotton, Russell Big Boll and Culpepper 

 Improved ranked as the best varieties on the Edgecombe farm ; as an average 

 of 5 years' tests, Culpepper Improved, Excelsior Prolific, King Improved, and 

 Russell Big Boll were ranked on the Red Springs farm; and as the result of 5 

 years' work, Kiug Improved, King Improved Native, aud Edgeworth on the 



